Robin: I think some folks are confusing two differing issues. Most gardeners want a functional inspection system that inspects more plants here in the US...not in another country, which is the intent of a phyto. Most of the current pest problems (wooly aldegid aphids) can be traced to an unfunctional USDA-Aphis system that only inspects 3% of incoming shipments and also makes smuggling preferable. This is not acceptable and many of us have lobbied USDA-Aphis for a better system and more inspections. Second, the worst of our invasive plants were researched and introduced intentionally by the US government (kudzu) and then planted by the hundreds of thousands. Our concern at this point is the use of a white list screening model to predict invasive potential in each ecological region of the country, which is not a scientifically viable protocol. Tony Avent Plant Delights Nursery @ Juniper Level Botanic Garden 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 USA Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F USDA Hardiness Zone 7b email tony@plantdelights.com website http://www.plantdelights.com/ phone 919 772-4794 fax 919 772-4752 "I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three times" - Avent Robin Bell wrote: > I would like to second Lou's very reasonable & balanced comment. As > one who has witnessed first hand, in Australia & New Zealand the > devastation that introduced plants, animals & fungi have caused, it > is only a small acknowledgement of reality to believe that we should > be doing more in this area. I don't think it should be viewed as > another opportunity to bash the government. Perhaps the new rules > aren't the best, but we could work to improve them, anyone who thinks > kudzu is a reasonable outcome for allowing in anything at all needs > to go look at that mess. There are many others & they are still > happening....woolly aldegid anyone? > > Robin Bell, Ithaca NY. > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ > >